Album for Package

[HillPhotos2009]

I can't decide what size album to build for an upcoming wedding. My packages are pretty vague as far as details of what products they are getting, so the bride knows she's getting an "album" just not what size and what it will look like.

The last album I did was an 8 something by 10 something from Blurb. Looked alright, I wasn't too impressed. I've been doing some research and it looks like I'll get more for the bride's buck with WHCC so I plan on ordering swatches and samples to bring with me when I go over the pictures for orders with the bride. Idk what size book to go with though. To me I think the eight something by 10 something says you made a book, it looks great, but you're not trying to impress anyone.

What are ya'lls thoughts on albums for the bride? Should I do 10x10 as a standard or do the 8x10 as a standard and try to upsell them to the 10x10?

[S-Man]

Depends on what you're wanting to spend on the album. I'm not sure if you've sold them an album already or plan on 'upselling' them an album, or just plan on 'upselling' a larger size.
It also depends on what size you want to offer. I like offering square books. 10x10 seems to be a nice size that's not too big but not so small like an 8x8. However I just had a client book a collection with an album, and she wanted an 10x15 book that opens to an 10x30" panoramic. It's going to be huge, but she was pretty set on what she wanted.
I wouldn't even offer Blurb to sell to clients. At the minimum if it was a really low end deal, and I was trying to cut costs, I'd go with Adorama. Their books are printed on actual Fuji Photo paper and the quality is decent. I just don't like press books i.e. Blurb. I would only use Blurb for personal stuff.
Also, you might check out Black River Imaging and Millers for album options that are similar to WHCC.

[HillPhotos2009]

Thanks Sam. I looked at Black River last night too and it looks like they have a lot of great products and their prices are pretty comparable. I'll check out Miller's too.

I think I'll go with the 10x10. Personally I like square books as opposed to rectangle books and I think going bigger will make their wedding pics stand apart from the rest of the photo albums they'll make in the future.

[dracula02]

I've tried Black River Imaging and Millers. I'm not that impressed with BRI, aside from the cover options. I feel Miller's does a better job of client service, but I feel that I'm expanding beyond Miller's quality for my brides. Don't get me wrong, they have great products, but I'm just getting super picky. You may also want to check out KISS wedding albums as well, just for another option.

[ronocnikral]

i'm confused by "bang for the bride's buck..." anyway....

10x10 is our smallest size album, and the size that comes with any package. Coincidentally, we don't show any 10x10 albums. I believe the smallest we show is 12x12, which is an extra 44 sq in when looking at a side, or 88 sq in when looking at a spread, or 44% larger by area. It makes a BIG difference.

We like the square shape, as it looks nice when opened up to view spreads. Also, it makes upselling easier, as we know any square format will work with any square format. And mother's albums, square as well. No redesign is nice.

I can't comment on any of the places you mention getting albums printed.

[HillPhotos2009]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

I can't comment on any of the places you mention getting albums printed.

And where, dear Ron, do you get YOUR albums printed? Do you do them yourselves?

[HillPhotos2009]

Album Companies - View And Add Your Own

Thank you.

[LadyShutterBug]

if you design in square sizes, you can sell smaller clone albums for parents and you won't have to worry about whether 8x10 can be sized well down to a 5x7 or whatever.

I generally include 10x10 albums (p.s. "album" = very nice, thick pages, leatherbound, etc... and things you get from blurb = press books).

[HillPhotos2009]

Thanks Kasey!

I have decided on the 10x10 and a big reason is because of the simplicity of sizing it down for a parent album. And yeah, when I was album shopping I realized the "album" vs "press printed books" difference and the albums look so much nicer. I really like things that are elegant but fun at the same time and I just don't think I can accomplish "elegant and fun" with a tabletop picture book. (And I love the different texture options that most companies offer with their albums.)

Where do you like to print your albums?

[mercphoto]

10x10 is my favorite size of album as well. I agree with people's assessment of Blurb (I use them for family stuff only), and to some extent I agree about BRI. Noticeably better than Blurb, but still a bit lacking.

About the only press book I actually like is Asuka Book. Their press book just looks hands-down better than anyone else's. It is a good alternative to an album if price becomes an issue. Hewlett Packard actually has Asuka print all their marketing materials for their Indigo ink line because of how well Asuka prints pages.

I've been itching to try Bay Photo's "Pacific" Album myself, and I might have that opportunity in a few months.

[mercphoto]

Can't believe I forgot GraphiStudio, out of Italy. I had an 8x8 30-page book on matte photographic paper done by them from their "Senior Book" line done. Very impressive and the cost was cheaper than a comparably sized Asuka press book. The only drawback to the Senior Book line is an 8x8 or 8x12 (vertical) size book, at 30 pages or less. Their Wedding Book link has larger sizes and page counts but at a noticeable bump in price.

[ronocnikral]

I would highly recommend not using graphi.

I know a lot of people have had great experiences, and maybe I'm the one bad experience, but...


i would also add that you get a foreign transaction fee and you have to deal with people across the big drink. the reps here are useless and are just a middleman. not to mention, their quality is lacking compared to our other printers. AND their parent albums...not really an album, but a poor quality bound book with soft cover. after paying for that crap, we had to fork out the money to have forbeyon print a real album b/c we were embarrassed to give it to our client. they certainly are the gift that keeps on giving....

[HillPhotos2009]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

and maybe I'm the one bad experience, but...

One bad experience or not, that seems like plain as day theft to me. Thanks for that post Ron. I hope ya'll are able to get things fixed without it getting too hairy.

I'll definitely stick to printers on our side of the Big Water.

[txdoc]

I don't know a thing about weddings, but Asuka books are great quality, so far among the best printed products I've seen. I would recommend them anytime.

[LadyShutterBug]

I have used Renaissance almost exclusively for a few years, and recently printed some studio sample books through Miller's.

I LOVE Renaissance's quality and customer service. They introduced an "Essex" book this year that has the thinner pages (i haven't seen one in person, but it looks like a higher end press book from the pics), I'll be ordering a sample soon.

Miller's books are lovely, but I'm not sure if they offer as many cover options as Renaissance does (as far as cutouts, printed metals, acrylics, and embossing). They do have some really cool leathers, though. One of my samples is a teal leather that's pressed into a reptilian pattern. People love it! No one has ordered it, lol, but they love looking at it and touching it.